I first saw Ari with Kenny Warner about 2 years ago at our college. He came into the gig with just his cymbals and asked to see what kind of sets the college had for use, etc. He ended up playin on I belive a tama 16inch floor as a kick, a snare, two rides and hats. It was probably the most life changing drumming experience I'd has since I first saw Buddy Rich. Ari Hoenig isn't a chops god, though he has his share, it's his absolute MUSICALITY that drove me insane. I watch an entire orchestra/big band standing off to the sides of the stage in literal silent awe of what they were seeing him play. HIs phrasing and the sheer amount of different and most importantly, MUSICAL tones he was able to draw from that minimalist kit was amazing. I was in literal shock for a while after. He completely changed my idea of a drummer can and SHOULD be able to do with his kit, and he was an amazing example of how chops are mere tools to express musicality and shouldn't be the forefront of anyone's playing.

If he reads these forums, I'd like to thank him for completely changing my idea of how to musical on the kit. ...OH, and I wish you would have had the chance to play MY set, I have a yamaha maple custom, which I've seen your perfom with. No offence to the Tama's. ;-)

Yea dude Ari is the man. The thing about him is that theres not one wasted note, everthing he plays is so strong and down to the point,not to mention melodic, with him its like music first before drums. Its the guys like him that keep me motivated to play every day.

What an amazing drummer! But my god, is his technique weird! He looks like he should have a hammer in his hand, not a stick... I've no idea how he gets such a great sound out considering how much of his playing seems to come from the shoulder, let alone the elbow...

I first saw Ari with Kenny Warner about 2 years ago at our college. He came into the gig with just his cymbals and asked to see what kind of sets the college had for use, etc. He ended up playin on I belive a tama 16inch floor as a kick, a snare, two rides and hats. It was probably the most life changing drumming experience I'd has since I first saw Buddy Rich. Ari Hoenig isn't a chops god, though he has his share, it's his absolute MUSICALITY that drove me insane. I watch an entire orchestra/big band standing off to the sides of the stage in literal silent awe of what they were seeing him play. HIs phrasing and the sheer amount of different and most importantly, MUSICAL tones he was able to draw from that minimalist kit was amazing. I was in literal shock for a while after. He completely changed my idea of a drummer can and SHOULD be able to do with his kit, and he was an amazing example of how chops are mere tools to express musicality and shouldn't be the forefront of anyone's playing.

If he reads these forums, I'd like to thank him for completely changing my idea of how to musical on the kit. ...OH, and I wish you would have had the chance to play MY set, I have a yamaha maple custom, which I've seen your perfom with. No offence to the Tama's. ;-)

I totally agree with you. I saw him in Malmoe in Sweden a year ago with Chris Potter - man you should've been there! Ari Hoenig realy has great taste. I love his drum sound and it is amazing what he can do with that small kit.
Bill Stewart is also good but Ari Hoenig is more gifted - he always surprises me.
By the way, I saw Bill Stewart two weeks ago in Kopenhagen and it was fun to see how much jazz licks that guy has.

I played with Ari quite a bit in High School back in philly. Back then he was in the shadows of another great young cat Little John Roberts. There was one group Ari and I played in and we recorded a demo for some competition and played Freddie Hubbard's Little Sunflower. Ari took a solo on that tune that was as developed and melodic as any of the other cats. Like it has been stated several times, his musicality is ridiculous. Having seen and heard his playing over the last 10+ years I thoroughly enjoy hearing Ari. And I know he must be doing something because he can count my dad as one of his fans which is not easy for any drummer to do.

Splitlife is a terrific album. Gilad's playing is mesmerizing, and the album reminds me of a close quarters Scofield-like album, but Gilad's definitely got his own style. Ari has some really great brush work on the Splitlife album. I thought the album was a studio album, but it sounds like it is in a nightclub type setting. I like how some of the tunes move and have a good uptempo feel, but still retain a soft, delicate feel. Real precision and musical playing.

Yeah sshu,
I agree whole heartedly. Any one into Ari who hasn't got his quartet album 'the painter' should seriously consider it. Taking melody playing to new heights. Some of the rythmic concepts are mind blowing too, without getting overly intellectual and killing the music. Must get his Kinetic dvd. Man he is some player!

I've wanted to start practicing the way he plays melodies. Not just referring to it throughout (in comping or solo), but actually figuring it out note for note and being able to play along with it. You could pull out some amazing straight up melodies or some killer unison ideas coming out of a section. It creates so many possibilities!

Yeah sshu,
I agree whole heartedly. Any one into Ari who hasn't got his quartet album 'the painter' should seriously consider it. Taking melody playing to new heights. Some of the rythmic concepts are mind blowing too, without getting overly intellectual and killing the music. Must get his Kinetic dvd. Man he is some player!

I've wanted to start practicing the way he plays melodies. Not just referring to it throughout (in comping or solo), but actually figuring it out note for note and being able to play along with it. You could pull out some amazing straight up melodies or some killer unison ideas coming out of a section. It creates so many possibilities!

I might start a new thread in general on this.

Oops. Just saw this post here after the thread you started in another area. Anyway, Ari looks like he has another album coming out next year ... pretty cool ...

What an amazing drummer! But my god, is his technique weird! He looks like he should have a hammer in his hand, not a stick... I've no idea how he gets such a great sound out considering how much of his playing seems to come from the shoulder, let alone the elbow...

The thing is, he went to North Texas State, so he's definitely learned some classic hand technique, and I'm sure that if you sat him down on a pad he could show you some incredibly finished technique from gladstone or some other school. The thing it, his technique looks weird but he definitely gets an audible effect when he uses his arms and his shoulders, but whenever he does some singles or technical stuff that requires some technique, he looses all his "habits" and has some very effective use of wrists and fingers. He's a perfect example of someone whose learned the rules and the breaks them.

It should be a law that every drummer must buy and listen to Kenny Werner's live album's Form and Fantasy and Beat Degeneration. Ari's playing on both is 100% smokin'.

Overall though these are a couple of the best albums I've ever heard. The improvising is astonishing and everyones playing beautiful throughout. Kenny Werner is an amazing pianist. I can't understand why he isn't better known.

For the Ari fans who haven't checked these out. Go out and grab them immediately! You'll love them.

Very tasteful playing, i loved it! But yes his technique, (of what he shows in the video) is very arm orientated.
Also Bernhard all the links lead to the one video.
Jazzin' bit random but what are your fav jazz CD shops around here?

The thing is, he went to North Texas State, so he's definitely learned some classic hand technique, and I'm sure that if you sat him down on a pad he could show you some incredibly finished technique from gladstone or some other school. The thing it, his technique looks weird but he definitely gets an audible effect when he uses his arms and his shoulders, but whenever he does some singles or technical stuff that requires some technique, he looses all his "habits" and has some very effective use of wrists and fingers. He's a perfect example of someone whose learned the rules and the breaks them.

So true about the audible effect that you mentioned, I couldn't agree more. Although his technique confuses me the sound he gets out of this drums is incredible! Ari sure does get a lot of work in NYC too, probably one of the hardest working drummers there.

He was here for the Drums Summit a few weeks ago. It sucks I could not make it to the show (I was backlining for another event.) Apparently he was so happy of how things went that he's already planned to come back. I hope I won't miss him next time.

__________________
"Absorb what is useful, discard what is not, add what is uniquely your own."
- Bruce Lee

I like this guy a lot. I'm definitely in need of an album. I love how percussive and musical he is. What should be the first album I buy with him on it?

Hey man, I would suggest any with Kenny Werner. They are amazing. Also he has some albums out as a leader and as a sideman with Jean Michel Pilc (great pianist who plays in his quartet). Any of these are a great place to start. You can get most of these from the internet easy enough.

Latin. I generally stick to JB. They have most of the stuff I'm after across the stores throughout the city. Otherwise I check out some of the little independent and secondhand ones or if it's hard to find which it often can be, I get it off the internet. Theres a groovy little jazz store in the city but for the life of me I can't remember what it's called. I'll find out and get back to you. JB though, is surprisingly well stocked usually (Elizabeth and Bourke st stores). Borders, of course, is good but way too expensive.

Man, Ari whigs me out. He's so far out of the sense of convention it almost seems intentional, but listening to him its obvious that its all legit. It's interesting to me that he usually favors pingier ride cymbals. It's different and not so much what I prefer, but it always seems to suit Pilc's playing. I have his "Live at the Fat Cat" dvd. There are clips of it on the site. The whole dvd is spectacular and you can get it pretty cheap on ebay.
My only complaint about his records as a leader is that there's something about his quartet that bothers the hell out of my and I can't figure out what it is.
Otherwise he's a great player.

He may not be the greatest jazz drummer, but he's my most favorite. He makes jazz drumming exciting to me, and to be honest (and not to offend anyone), I'm not a big jazz listener, nor do i hate it. He's awesome and I love his kit too!

He may not be the greatest jazz drummer, but he's my most favorite. He makes jazz drumming exciting to me, and to be honest (and not to offend anyone), I'm not a big jazz listener, nor do i hate it. He's awesome and I love his kit too!

Hey man, he is certainly one of the best around today. He is doing some pretty amazing things so it's great you're listening to him and don't worry, I don't think anyone will be offended if you don't dig a style of music :)

Just recently turned on to him and very glad about it. He's just amazing and despite his often minimalist, fantastic melodic style, the guy definitely has chops. I'd really like to hear his playing when he was with the 1 O'clock Band at UNT.

I just saw Ari Hoenig yesterday (10-29) at a clinic at Chad Sexton's Drum City here in LA (actually North Hollywood to be precise!) and was also very impressed with him. He used a small 4pc kit here, too, and was able to get a wide range of notes out of it by pressing on the heads with the sticks, mallets, his fingers, even his elbows. And talk about melodic, he even played a gospel song (title escapes me) on the two toms and snare.

Yeah, his style was unusual. I was trying to put my finger on exactly what it was. Then I read a few earlier comments here, and I see what it is. He does play more from the shoulder. Less using the elbows as hinges and more pushing forward with the forearms. Looks a litte stiff, actually, but his playing is anything but stiff. He can play real soft and delicate or real LOUD. On the brushes, he really has a different style. Holds his hands perpendicular to the drum, palms facing in, and then uses them like hinges, in and out to the sides. He's also got some real original ways of hitting the drums. Like with the brushes, he'll do like a rimshot with a brush, but keep it angled a little up, so the brush vibrates and does a series of diminishing hits on the drum.

I also saw Gregg Bissonette at Drum City a few months back, and although he seemed like a overall better teacher, imparting more nuts and bolts all around great info, Ari was definitely a lot more inspiring and entertaining imho.

Just recently turned on to him and very glad about it. He's just amazing and despite his often minimalist, fantastic melodic style, the guy definitely has chops. I'd really like to hear his playing when he was with the 1 O'clock Band at UNT.

Wow!? You would call his playing minimalist? I think he is quite the opposite. He is a very busy player. Apart from that you're right. He has an amazingly melodic approach to the drums and such a light fine touch.

Sounds like it would've been a lot of fun criz p. critter. Wish I got to see him in a clinic, it would be very inspiring and enlightening. With the brushes thing you were talking about, did you mean he hit the actual shaft of the brush against the rim so the wires flexed into the head a bunch of times? Like a multiple bounce brush stroke? It's a very common brush technique but I'm not sure if you mean that or something else.

With the brushes thing you were talking about, did you mean he hit the actual shaft of the brush against the rim so the wires flexed into the head a bunch of times? Like a multiple bounce brush stroke? It's a very common brush technique but I'm not sure if you mean that or something else.

Yeah, jazzin', that's exactly what it was. It was new to me as I'm pretty ignorant of brush technique. Pretty flippin' cool even if it is a common move.

I met Ari in a club in NYC watching Chris Dave play with Robert Glasper. I was impressed on one hand because he was SO kind and modest when I talked to him. I was also impressed that he gets out to support other "young lions."

Oh yeah, which brings up another point: Ari Hoenig apparently knows that Chris Dave is one of the baddest drummers on the face of the earth right now. Why doesn't Drummerworld have a page yet? See the Chris Dave thread for details...

North Texas State (one o'clock) Jazz Band came to my high school when I was 14, did a clinic, then a show that night. During the clinic, with Ari a feet away, I saw him do the coolest stuff a jazz drummer could do, absolutely flawless. What made the biggest impression on me was his innovation: he removed a metal bead chain from around his neck, tossed if on top of his ride cymbal, and made it sound like it was riveted! This was in 1994, years before Pro Mark came out with their Rattler device. He also had an Ayotte snare, way before that company became well known among drummers.
He was friendly and amicable, to myself and the other drummers in attendance.
After the show, Ari and a few other members of the band autographed my show poster. He filled me with inspiration that day, and it's really cool to see how his career has evolved since then.

I got to go to a clinic of his today, great player, really nice guy! It's awesome to see how much fun he has while playing. He has a great approach, that I think I can learn a lot from. If you get the chance to see him, take it!